WELLBEING

Expert-backed tips to beat the mid-year slump

25 July, 2024 . 0

When the days are short and cold, how can you motivate yourself to stay happy and healthy? Here are expert tips to beat the mid-year slump.

As temperatures fall, motivation often does, too.

Why walk or work out when you can cuddle up on the couch with a book or watch TV instead?

Research shows when it is cold, rainy or windy, we are less likely to be active.

In the kitchen, we might reach for comfort food that tastes delicious but doesn’t do much for our body or BMI, too.

So, how can we stay motivated to keep physically and mentally fit during winter?

Find your micro and macro hope

Human behaviour expert Joe Pane, author of Courage to Be You, believes hope is key to staying motivated all year round.

He defines two kinds of hope: micro hope and macro hope.

“Micro hope is having something to look forward to that raises your spirits, and it needs to be structured into your week,” Joe says.

“You might get together with friends or family for pizza night once a week — that gives you a time to look forward to when you’ll connect and relax each week.

“Or find a hobby that swirls your soul and do it one to three times a week.”

Ramp up motivation even more by taking on a challenge related to your interest.

If you join a run club, enter a running event.

If you are a musician, get involved in a concert.

Also focus on generating some macro hope, Joe says.

Think about exciting events you are looking forward to.

“That macro hope event might be your next holiday, a family wedding or a family birthday. Blend macro hope with micro hope events so you have something to look forward to daily and weekly,” Joe says.

Practise negative visualisation

If you are rundown, your nose won’t stop running and you feel like you have swallowed a cheese grater, it is time for some negative visualisation.

This means that no matter how bad things may seem, imagine them being next level worse, Joe says.

This way we can become instantly grateful for the situation we find ourselves in.

“You might not feel the best right now, but you’re alive and you will get better,” he says.

“Be grateful for the roof over your head, appreciate the family and friends around you, embrace a more positive attitude and you will start to view this time of year differently.”

Exercise, even just a little

Forget the “all or nothing” approach to exercise and switch to a “something is better than nothing” approach.

Tim Douge, a spokesman for Exercise & Sports Science Australia, says if you can’t do your normal exercise routine because it’s cold or wet, don’t think “why bother?”

“You can exercise at home very effectively,” Tim, an exercise physiologist at Brisbane’s Studio 99 Fitness Centre, points out.

Pandemic restrictions triggered a boom in home exercise.

Tim recommends using YouTube exercise tutorials.

“Find a workout that you enjoy and that matches your ability,” Tim says.

“Do it with other family members or friends you live with. Agree to a time of day when you’ll exercise together, because structure will increase the chances of you sticking to a routine.

“If you are exercising alone, do it while watching your favourite TV show.”

Think seasonal and nourishing

Dietitian Annaleise Collier says winter vegetables are packed with vitamins and minerals and can be used to make hearty and nutritious soups and stews.

The Your Gut Feeling founder says to look out for carrots, onions, beets, sweet potatoes, broccoli, brussels sprouts and kale, as they are all in season.

“Make a tasty vegetarian lentil soup by combining lentils, carrots, celery, potato and spinach in a broth seasoned with herbs and spices like cumin and paprika. Serve it with a side of crusty wholegrain bread,” she suggests.

For a warming winter snack, Annaleise recommends tossing raw almonds, walnuts and pecans with
a blend of cinnamon, nutmeg and maple syrup and baking until fragrant.

Keep your fridge stocked with seasonal vegies for soups, stews, roasts and stir-fries and buy in-season citrus, kiwifruit and apples for a vitamin C boost.

Fill your pantry with nuts, seeds and wholegrains such as quinoa, brown rice and oats to support your energy levels, skin and brain health.

“Prioritise mindful eating: Slow down during meals and pay attention to your body’s hunger and fullness cues,” Annaleise says.

“Enjoy each bite and focus on the flavours and textures of your food to promote better digestion and prevent overeating.”

Take the easy wins

Life coach Danielle Colley, author of The Chocolate Bar Life, shares her strategies for staying upbeat and active.

1. Create positive routines and rituals

When you’re in a slump, small daily actions matter, like getting out of bed at the same time every day and spending five to 10 minutes in the morning sun.

Go to bed at the same time each night, too.

2. Remind yourself of previous proud moments

We often give ourselves a harsh pep talk, like a mental upper cut, but that’s not an encouraging way to inspire or motivate yourself.

When I need to push through a challenge, I remind myself of previous proud moments.

If you’ve dug deep and done one hard thing in your life, you can do another.

3. Rediscover motivation through action

One of my clients fell out of her exercise regimen and began to find her way back to that routine by simply getting dressed and driving to the gym and seeing how she felt once she got there.

4. Set a 10-minute timer

Get busy on the task at hand until the timer goes off and then see if you feel like continuing, but stop if you don’t.

It’s often the getting started that’s harder than the task.

5. Find that fun kid

People get so focused on work and families that social lives get neglected.

Many people don’t even know what they enjoy doing for fun any longer.

Where did that fun kid go?

Return to things you enjoyed doing as a child and you’ll meet like-minded people who inject fresh energy into your social life.

More on managing stress and burnout:

Written by Sarah Marinos.